Overview
- Washington said the officials directed or supported activities that compromised critical telecommunications infrastructure and undermined regional security, and it also canceled visas for their immediate families.
- Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced the restrictions and framed them as part of the Trump administration’s effort to protect U.S. interests in the hemisphere.
- Chile’s government rejected the accusations, condemned the unilateral nature of the move, and said it received no prior formal notification; President Gabriel Boric called the measure arbitrary and unjustified.
- Transport and Communications Minister Juan Carlos Muñoz confirmed he is among those affected, while local reports linked the case to Chinese submarine cable proposals and identified two other possible targets as Subtel’s Claudio Araya and aide Guillermo Petersen.
- The U.S. statement criticized the outgoing Boric administration and signaled an expectation of closer cooperation with President‑elect José Antonio Kast, who takes office on March 11.